Arkansas High School Football Player Stunned To Find Venomous Snake In His Helmet During Practice In Freaky Viral Video

We've all heard Muhammad Ali's legendary line, "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!" applied to every sport out there, but we generally think of the athletes taking on the qualities of butterflies and bees, not having to face off with them.

But a Maumelle High School football player in Arkansas had to do basically that when he discovered that the weird feeling he'd had in his helmet throughout practice was actually a venomous snake that had nestled in between the padding.

The player had completed the session's warm-up exercises and was in position for the first tackle when he felt his helmet wobble. He walked off the field and presented his helmet to one of the defensive coaches on staff, who passed it to Athletic Director Kirk Horton.

Horton was able to confirm that there was, in fact, a snake contained in the helmet, so the coaches called the Maumelle Animal Services to pick it up.

The members from Maumelle Animal Services submerged the helmet in a bucket of water to draw the snake out, confirmed it was actually a venomous cottonmouth snake, and relocated it to a nearby forested area.

You can watch a video of its capture here:

Some TikTokers used this as an opportunity to point out that an animal being dangerous to humans does not necessarily mean it's aggressive.

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Others were simply grateful that the football player was safe.

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A spokesperson for Maumelle Animal Shelter took this opportunity to remind people to always stay aware of their environment.

"Today, Maumelle Animal Services responded to an unusual situation at Maumelle High School."

"A student put on his helmet, only to discover that a venomous snake had taken up residence inside!”

"Thankfully, everyone is okay, but this is an important reminder that snakes and other critters can find their way into dark, enclosed spaces."

"Especially helmets, shoes, bags, boxes, and other items that are left outside or sitting undisturbed!"

"Before putting on your helmet, shoes, gloves, or any outdoor gear, always give it a quick check first."

"It only takes a few seconds and could prevent a very scary encounter, or worse."

"Stay safe, stay alert, and remember: always check before you put it on!”

This was surely a shocking turn of events for the football players and coaches, and it's a relief to see that the player was okay after having a tag-along mascot for part of the practice.